Kitchen work surfaces

After a disastrous discussion with a Howden's kitchen planner, I've talked to a more upmarket independent store and had a much better time. I'm not positive we're actually going to do this (and I've made this clear from the beginning but as the guy said things were slow I don't feel too bad). But of course we are getting closer to the quotation stage now and I'm curious.... The guy suggested quartz counter tops which I feel indifferent too (why spend so much on something you don't really like?) But then suggested that wood (my preference) would cost about the same. For an island (6-8 units) and one run with a sink (4 units) ishould I really be expecting to pay £2-3k ?

The initial guesstimate is high (it is a higher end shop) but included everything including fitting and all appliances so maybe it's actually not going to be crazy after all ????

Of it's your forever home I can see you getting your money's worth - but if you are doing up to sell I can't see a reason to spend so much - but I agree with you - why spend on something you don't love ?! Keep looking !!!

Have silstone aka Quartz in my new kitchen and love it! It's so easy to clean (just discovered micro cloths!) reflects light and looks great. Teamed with glassssplash backs so no horrible grout to deal with either! Wasn't convinced when our kitchen person suggested it either but so glad I went with it!

not at allthe op said her kitchen chap told her wood will be around the same cost as quartz. wood should be a lot less but full stave as a rule of thumb is almost double per lenghth to a normal staved wood making this bridge the price gap

I've got Silestone too and I love it. I really wanted Carrera Marble but all the kitchen experts advised against so I've got a Quartz that looks the same. It's completely indestructible and is pale and lovely. I've had wood & dark granite in the past.

My problem is I really don't like quartz. It just seems like a strange thing to make a counter top out of to me. Not sure why a sheet of rock offends me but the price hasn't helped ! I guess acrylic is even more expensive as it would have to be fabricated to fit?

True. I'm happy with wood (just one up from chopping boards really or my dining table). I guess quartz is good if you make a lot of pastry ? But I don't make enough to justify spending 10% of a kitchen on it.

What kind of worktop takes your eye in a showroom? I'd go for that. If it's costly then source it elsewhere. I looked and looked and settled on Corian. Like you most stone didn't appeal. I went for acrylic as I loved the seamlessness of it with the integrated sink and the fact I can bleach it. I have an extra thick chunky counter that suits the style of the the units. I went factory direct to a place that mostly fits out dental surgeries and hospitals and saved hundreds and hundreds. The end result is great and I really am pleased with it.

I like wood too, much more than granite. And slate is great in a period property, so velvety looking and tactile.

The counter is what you are working on and wiping down and staring at more than anything else in the kitchen so make sure you like it and it is serviceable.

We've just had iroko installed, bought 9m of it for £540. I can't imagine how or why people pay thousands for their worktops. I love it and it really makes the kitchen design zing. We are being paranoid about clearing up drips of water and scratching it but I think it's worth it for the loveliness of it.

Yep this is crazy! We are getting a new kitchen at the mo and immediately thought 'granite'. We went and looked at loads and were sort of taken with some of them but something niggled in my mind that 'we are potentially spending £3,500 on worktops and I'm not sure about this'.

The first time I walked into a kitchen display and thought 'WOW!!!' about a worktop was seeing oak block laminate in Wickes (shhhh - don't tell anyone).

We have now settled on solid oak butchers block worktop. £600 for the whole kitchen including a breakfast bar. Feels and looks lovely and warm(in the showroom - hoping it's the same in our new kitchen). Just need to buy my Osmo Polyx Oil and go a bit crazy with it

Belleview:Basically IKEA don't use very high quality oils on their worktops. If you sand them right down and get back to bare wood you can use a high quality hard wax oil like Osmo and get the durable, semi - matt but glowing surface that the expensive worktops have.

We have oak from worktop express, wide stave was 800 for our kitchen (3 standard 3metre runs and a wide bit for breakfast bar). Going against the prevailing opinion we sealed our worktops with sadolin PV 67 which is a very sturdy varnish, in matt. It looks beautiful and saves my paranoia about spills (with 4 kids with a ribena habit I am afraid an oiled wood would have driven me insane!)